Jennifer Coughran
A science teacher at San Jacinto Elementary in Deer Park, Texas, has been named a regional winner in the Shell Science Lab Regional Challenge. Sponsored by Shell Oil Company and administered by the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA), the competition encouraged K-12 science teachers who have found innovative ways to deliver quality lab experiences with limited school and laboratory resources, to share their approaches for a chance to win a school science lab makeover support package. Coughran is one of 39 regional winners named, from which three grand prize winners will be selected.
Jennifer Coughran believes it is important to give students as many hands-on experiences as possible to help them understand science concepts. Coughran would use grant funds to purchase rolling cabinets for each of the three discovery zones to hold all of the equipment that the teachers need to give students hands-on learning. The teachers would be able to facilitate their learning in the discovery zones as well as their classrooms. When teachers have the equipment needed to provide hands-on learning at their disposal, it is easier to use the equipment. Giving students hands-on experiences facilitates a better understanding of science concepts, and if the students build strong science foundations from a young age, they will be able to better understand different science concepts later in their education.
Coughran now advances to the national phase of the competition, where she will have a chance to win an additional $5,000 of support to attend a future NSTA National Conference on Science Education, where they will be honored at a Shell reception and Teachers Awards Gala.
Jayme Richey
A science teacher at Deepwater Junior High School in Pasadena, Texas, has been named a regional winner in the Shell Science Lab Regional Challenge. Sponsored by Shell Oil Company and administered by the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA), the competition encouraged K-12 science teachers who have found innovative ways to deliver quality lab experiences with limited school and laboratory resources, to share their approaches for a chance to win a school science lab makeover support package. Richey is one of 39 regional winners named, from which three grand prize winners will be selected.
Jayme Richey’s science teaching philosophy is that students learn best by doing. She tries to provide students with as many quality, authentic, hands-on experiences as possible. Getting to hold, manipulate, and construct creates concrete relationships with content. Hands-on activities help students discover new concepts and ideas, explore their own interests and passions, and build upon the knowledge they have already gained. When science knowledge is built on experiences, it becomes relevant and students take ownership of their own learning.
Richey sees herself as a facilitator, assisting, and prompting them as needed. Through inquiry-driven labs, discussions, collaborative grouping, and scientific literacy, she promotes critical thinking, problem solving and connection building. Richey would use grant funds to purchase lab equipment to help complete many critical inquiry-based lab explorations of chemistry topics and physical processes.
Richey now advances to the national phase of the competition, where she will have a chance to win an additional $5,000 of support to attend a future NSTA National Conference on Science Education, where they will be honored at a Shell reception and Teachers Awards Gala.
Arbia Khalil
A science teacher at Deer Park High School South Campus in Deer Park, Texas, has been named a regional winner in the Shell Science Lab Regional Challenge. Sponsored by Shell Oil Company and administered by the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA), the competition encouraged K-12 science teachers who have found innovative ways to deliver quality lab experiences with limited school and laboratory resources, to share their approaches for a chance to win a school science lab makeover support package. Khalil is one of 39 regional winners named, from which three grand prize winners will be selected.
Arbia Khalil believes that a good teacher teaches content, but a great teacher teaches beyond course content. A teacher’s job is to be a source of knowledge for all students, so Khalil relates biology concepts to students and makes connections beyond the textbook. Young, dynamic minds require hands-on learning, logical reasoning, and evaluating data to successfully master objectives. A science classroom comes alive when students work in a collaborative structure and are able to demonstrate their learning through manipulatives and models. Khalil would use the grant funds to purchase an incubator that is capable of circulating highly concentrated oxygen gas, cameras to monitor embryonic development of the vertebrae, and specific molds to hold an egg so that Khalil can guide students to conduct experiments to allow for visual understanding of many difficult biological processes.
Khalil now advances to the national phase of the competition, where she will have a chance to win an additional $5,000 of support to attend a future NSTA National Conference on Science Education, where they will be honored at a Shell reception and Teachers Awards Gala.